Scott County Central coaching clinic will feature many top area coaches

Friday, October 26, 2007Chris Pobst

Current and future coaches get chance to learn about game

SIKESTON -- Southeast Missouri is filled with a rich history of successful basketball programs. When you think of that history, you might think of the dominance of the Braves and Bluejays of the '80s and early '90s or maybe two very successful tenures in girl's basketball at Jackson and Notre Dame. With those feats in mind, there was always one constant: coaching.

The Second Annual Hall of Fame Coaching Clinic at Scott County Central High School hopes to bring those feats and many more. Simply put, by legendary coach Ronnie Cookson, this should be a "good, country coaching clinic," in hopes to teach future and current coaches a thing or two about the game.

"This clinic gives area coaches a chance to listen and learn the game of basketball, from established, legendary coaches, who are good people and good speakers," Superintendent of Scott County Central Dr. Joby Holland said. "It also gives coaches a good opportunity before the season starts to get together and talk about and learn different styles of the game; it's a reunion for basketball."

Four of the scheduled speakers combine for 17 high school state championships, 11 in Missouri and six in Arkansas.

The eight coaches that are scheduled to speak are as followed:

* Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lennies McFerren who won over 500 games and nine state championships at Charleston and New Madrid County Central. McFerren was named the 2000 National High School Coach of the Year.

*?Coach Larry Bray of West Memphis High school in West Memphis, Arkansas. Bray has won six state championships and has been state runner-up on two occasions. Bray was also a former All-American player at Henderson State University.

*?Coach Dickey Nutt of Arkansas State University. Nutt led the Indians to the Sun Belt Tournament Championship in 1999, advancing the Indians to the NCAA Tournament the same year. He was also the Sun Belt Coach of the Year in 1998.

*?The legendary Ron Cook, retired head coach of the Jackson Lady Indians. Cook has 473 wins in his career; 446 at Jackson High School and 27 at Scott County Central. Cook took eight trips to the Missouri Final Four and has one state title during his time at Scott County Central.

* Coach Jerry Grim of the Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs. Grim amassed 441 wins during his 25 year tenure. Grim took home one state championship, appeared in five Missouri Final Fours, and won 11 district titles. The Notre Dame basketball court was named in his honor.

*?2005 Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, coach Paul Hale. Hale has recorded over 500 wins at Stoutland, Delta, Bernie, Dexter and currently Notre Dame High School. Hale has made three trips to the Missouri Final Four.

*?Coach Allen Davis of DeSoto High School. With 442 wins during his 22 years as head coach, Davis has an average of at least 20 wins per season. The DeSoto Dragons have reached the Missouri Final Four twice, won eight district titles and 14 conference titles. Coach Davis was also the 1993 Missouri 4A Coach of the Year.

*?Coach Chris Pilz of the University of Missouri-St.Louis. Pilz is entering his fifth season at UMSL and is looking to build that program to the place it was when he played there as an All-American point guard. Before moving to UMSL, Pilz was the head coach at Hazelwood Central (Mo.) High School. In six seasons there, he led the team to a 107-55 record.

The clinic is set to take place Saturday starting at 8 a.m., a lunch break beginning at 11:50 a.m. until 1 p.m., and then resuming until 5 p.m.